CHRISTOPHER ARNOLD: 2012 Pictures of the Year

A collection of images highlighting the work of Christopher Arnold in 2012.

Palm City resident Dr. Bruce Kammerman, middle, is led out of the Stuart Pain Management Center, Inc. in Vero Beach on June 27 by Randall Bohman, right, Associate Special Agent in Charge with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar (behind Bohman) and Vero Beach Police Chief David Currey, left.

Ronda Cox, owner of Tropical Kayak Tours, sets up kayaks at McWilliam Park in Vero Beach in September, prior to leading a tour. "The Indian River Lagoon is such an ecologically diverse area," said Cox, who has been kayaking for more than 20 years and a guide for 13. "It's really nice to teach people about it, even people who live here and may not realize how much diversity is out there. It's just nice for them to see it - and visitors, of course, enjoy seeing nature and wildlife, but mainly just to let people know what's here, right in our own backyard and how nice it is." For more information, visit tropicalkayaktours.com.

An osprey heads home after snatching a midmorning snack from the Indian River Lagoon, as seen from the canoe dock at the end of George's Trail at the Environmental Learning Center in Wabasso.

Harold Thibodeau (right), of Vero Beach, dances to the "Chattanooga Choo Choo" with his wife of 71 years, Lorraine, during the first anniversary celebration Nov. at the Victory Center Military Store Nov. 19 in the Indian River Mall. Harold Thibodeau, who served in the United States Navy from 1942-45, is a regular visitor to the store, which sells military items such as camouflage clothing, patches, pins and more to support local veterans.

Cast members rehearse scenes and choreography for "Ain't Misbehavin'" at Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach on October 15. The show, based on the music of Fats Waller, kicks off the theater's 39th season when it opens on October 25. It stars: Dwelvan David as Ken; Rheaume Crenshaw as Armelia; Zurin Villanueva as Charlaine; Max Kumangai as Andre; and Willena Vaughn as Nell Carter. The show's director is DJ Salisbury and musical director is William Foster McDaniel. For more information, call 772-231-6990 or visit riversidetheatre.com.

Kody, an 8-year-old dachsund, surveys his surroundings while walking off his leash in August inside the Benedict Bark Park, where the shelter dogs at the Humane Society of Vero Beach are exercised.

Cheryl O'Neill, who performs with her husband Tom in the music duo Just Me 2, sings during the anniversary celebration of the Victory Center Military Store in the Indian River Mall on November 19.

An unidentified woman watches workers from the southeast side of the Sebastian Inlet Bridge in this undated file photo.

A pair of fledgling anhingas seem to bicker with each other while waiting on lunch near their nest at Hawk's Bluff - part of the Savannas Preserve State Park - in Jensen Beach in early August.

Graduating Martin County High School senior and Student Government Association President Rachel Rohan receives a hug at the school's graduation ceremony in May.

Treasure Coast Newspapers

CHRISTOPHER ARNOLD/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS Anthony Scavone (from left), friend Toni Martinez and Anthony's son Andrew, a second-grader at Manatee Academy in Port St. Lucie, walk along Southwest Heatherwood Boulevard to the school as part of International Walk to School Day on October 3. cq: Anthony Scavone, Toni Martinez, Andrew Scavone

Mel Liebman looks through a loupe magnifier to inspect the movement of a Tiffany desk clock while determining whether to repair or replace it at The Clock Shop in Fort Pierce in March. "We are repairing the original movement if I can," Liebman said. "Most of the time that's not possible, though, with a battery movement. Now with a mechanical movement, it's always possible."

Jennifer Howard, as Emma Goldman, rehearses a scene for Ragtime The Musical Dec. 3 at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce.

Bob Votruba, of Cleveland, Ohio, visits Fort Pierce as part of his Ring Our Country with Kindness crusade to raise awareness of bullying and adolescent suicide. Votruba began his ride in October as a way to honor three students killed at a high school near his home, as well as three young adults who took their own lives in his hometown. He travels from city to city on his Kindness Bus, which is covered with more than 400 encouraging messages inspired by people he has met in his travels.

Jaden Jones, 4, chases her brother Ethan (not pictured), 8, through the pumpkin patch at All Villages Presbyterian Church in Port St. Lucie in October.

Tyler McDonald, left, and Caiden Lansiquot, both 4, chase bubbles while playing outside the Manatee Observation and Education Center in Fort Pierce in June. The two were taking part in the center's Super Scientists Camp, designed for children ages four through nine with active imaginations and a love for science, which described Caiden, according to his mother, Desma Lansiquot. "He loves science," she said. "We do science experiments at home."

Kaiti Hayes, 7, reacts as foam from a dry ice experiment is placed in her hands by Donald Logue during the Police Athletic LeagueÕs Summer Science Camp in June. Logue, a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Frances K. Sweet Elementary School, used dry ice to demonstrate the process of sublimation, by which a solid turns directly into a gas, bypassing the liquid state. By dropping dry ice into a liquid soap solution, the resulting foam is safe to touch, according to Logue. ÒThat was pretty cool,Ó said Hayes.

Marely Hernandez, 5, gets a little reassurance from Diana Gonzalez while meeting the Beauty Princess, portrayed by Jacky Brodhead, at PATCHES PPEC in Fort Pierce in October. "It's a magical moment, it's just priceless," said Gonzales, who coordinated with Princess Enchantment for the visit to the center, which provides nursing care to children ages birth to 21 years who have extraordinary medical conditions.

A Balfour Beatty Construction worker takes a photo as the final beam is lifted to be placed atop the new 90-bed Tradition Medical Center in Port St. Lucie on October 30. About 100 attendees witnessed the "topping out" ceremony, a traditional event where the beam, which visited 11 sites from Hobe Sound to Port St. Lucie and was signed by an estimated 1,000 people during a six-day tour, was placed on the top of the six-floor building.

Abelard Cesar (left), as Coalhouse, and Euphemia Ruth Rahming, as Sarah, rehearse a scene from Ragtime The Musical at Indian River State College on Dec. 3.

Fort Pierce Central High School's Merisa Moroz runs in the St. Lucie County Cross County Championships at Fairwinds Golf Course in Fort Pierce in October.

Dan Kleman, Special Assistant to the City Manager, looks at some of the framed movie posters that once adorned the walls of Tradition Studios but were recently auctioned off by Heritage Global Partners. Kleman, along with other City of Port St. Lucie staff and council members, toured Tradition Studios Wednesday morning to better determine how to market the sale of the facility.

Indian River County Conservation Lands Manager Beth Powell, Milliken Forestry Environmental Consultant Monica Folk and a team of volunteers band scrub jays Tuesday at the North Sebastian Conservation Area. For more information on volunteering, or if you see a scrub jay, email Beth Powell at bpowell@ircgov.com.